The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-03-23
SCORES OF VICTIMS.
Six Cars Crowded with People
Plunge Through viaduct
i'm Boston.
Flaws in the Iron Work the Cause
of the Appalling Catas-
trophe.
Thirty Killed, Eight Mortally Wounded,
and Upward OF Hundred
Injured.
iPoston speciaI1

pass in number OF dead and wounded, tho re-
cent horrible railroad disaster near Hartford,
Vt, occurred Monday morning in the suburbs
of Boston, on the Boston Providence Railroad
AS the Dedham branch train. which leaves
Dedham at :05 a IN. and ID due at Boston at
40 II. M, was passing over the Bussey iGrk
bridge, which crosses South street between
Forest Hill and Roslindale, about a mile from
Jamaica Plain. the structure gave way and
ak cars, heavily laden with human beings,
plunged thirty feet to the roadway beneath.
Three of the nine cars which composed the
train remained on the ehabankment, having
crossed the bridge in safety, but they
wrenched from the rails and nearly demol-
ished.
The train was one OF the largest and heaviest
on the morning list and usual, il was heav-
lily loaded with people going 70 their work in the
city. 1t is a wonder that any escaped alive,
and il is, the names OF the dead will number
at least twenty. five. and perhaps more. 1t is
impossible to obtain an absolutely correct ac-
ia or more OF these at least nine fatally
and twenty-five quite badly hurt, and the re-
mainder receiN ed only slight bruises.
Some OF the injured We're at once conveyed TO
their homes, others were taken TO hospitals,
while others still found temporary shelter in
the residences in the immediate neighborhood.
Some of the dead-a majority OF them. n fact
were brought TO the city hospital morgue, but
there were others taken to the depots OF Roslin-
dale Forest Hill, and Canterbury.
Conductor Tilden was in the third car. which
remained on top OF the embankment and on the
ground directly underneath where he was stand
ing when killed is q pool OF blood, while half Of
That the horror of fire was not added 10 the ter
rible disaster was due to the promptness with
which relief was sent. The chemical engine
from Roslindale was at the scene within twenty
minutes after the wreck occurred, brought
by letter-carrier VINO gave alarm of
fire upon observing flames issuing from the
debris. The flames were soon extnguished,
and the fremen theHdid excellent work in res
cumg the injured. The stoves in all the cars
were securely fastened to the floors by iron
bolts and the doors of the stoves were locked
In only one car did the stoves upset, although
in one instance stove was smashed clear
through the roof Of the car
The scene directly after the accident was
heartrending. The shrieks OF the injured were
so loud that they were heard in the residences
in the vicinity. The bodies Of the killed were
horribly mangled. in some instances their heads
being entirely severed from their bodies, and
many OF the bodies were crushed almost be-
yond recognition. In one place seven bodies
taken out OF the wreck were placed in a row.
Rescue OF the Wounded.
The engine remained on the track and the
engineer. not stopping to learn the extent of the
disaster, proceeded to Forest Hill station,
whence he sent an alarm by telephone to the
city. In a short time a corps Of rescuers and
surgeons from the city were at the scene.
The only person known to have been eye
witness Of the disaster who was not on the train
was j. III. Lennon, fish dealer, whose stable
was on the hill just above the bridge. Lennon
was horror-stricken when he saw the train take
its awful plunge through the bridge. For
ment Lennon says, there was perfect quiet,
and then the cries of the injured were heard is
suing from the debris Selling an ak from
the barn Lennon started for the wreck,
which he reached in moment. He
climbed into the window of one OF the
coaches and set to work to release those
persons who had been pinned down by the
broken timbers. Lennon with his ak released
four men who were badly hurt and handed
them out Of TIE window to other men who had
come to the rescue. He also handed out the
dead bodies of two women, one OF whom was
nearly decapitated and had both arms severed
from her body. During all this time, Lennon
says, the shrieks of the wounded and the groans
of the dying made a pandemonium around him
that was nothing short OF horrible.
In the meantime passengers from the coaches
who had remained on top of the embankment
aud who had escaped serious injury, had joined
in the work Of rescue. AS the dead were re-
moved they were laid in rows on the stone wall
while the wounded were laid on cushions which
were hastily gathered together. Arrangements
were instantly made for the disposal of both the
Xxi led ana injured. Ambulances and hacks had
been sent from the city within half an hour after
the disaster had occurred, and as these convey
ances reached the scene they were at once
started back TO tho city, laden with dead A
large number Of the injured were taken to resi-
dences in the vicinity TO be cared for while
others were sent to the depots at Forest Hill and
Roslindale.